Beyond the perceived pomp and circumstance enjoyed by healthcare organization chief executives, most have to balance ongoing top- and bottom-line pressures with the quality and value of services provided by their facilities for their communities.

In short, they maintain and manage an onerous load on their plates. Worrying about one of the stacks, such as supply chain operations, should not be the topic keeping the CEO up at night, provided he or she has a capable, if not superior, supply chain executive at the helm. However, supply chain operations cannot and should not be ignored or neglected by the CEO. Certainly, forward-thinking, top-tier CEOs recognize that.

Health Purchasing News features Mike Williams, CHC president and CEO, one of the recipients of the 2015 SURE award. The award recognizes health system CEOs that "Support, Understand, Recognize and Empower" Supply Chain Management.